Rural women entrepreneurs were awarded their certificates at a graduation ceremony held in Johannesburg on August 5, following the intensive Faranani Rural Women Training Initiative driven by professional services firm PwC to build up the business skills of women from previously disadvantaged communities.

According to PwC, for more than two decades, a number of initiatives have been implemented nationally to empower women, including a plethora of legislation; however, women in South Africa – in particular in rural communities – remain the most disadvantaged and bear the brunt of inequality, unemployment and poverty.

Minister of Women in the Presidency Susan Shabangu has made the promotion of women’s economic empowerment through education, training and skills development one of its core mandates.

Faranani Rural Women Training Initiative national director and PwC partner Shirley Machaba says the firm is committed to the upliftment of women in South Africa. She believes that inculcating a culture of entrepreneurship among women can help to empower them to generate their own income and become meaningful contributors to the economy.

Yearly, PwC builds the business and entrepreneurial skills of more than 100 underprivileged women from rural areas throughout the country through the Business Skills of South Africa (BSSA) foundation, with the understanding that this will benefit disadvantaged communities by creating jobs, promoting sustainability and increasing revenue streams.

It was in 2006 that PwC extended the BSSA initiative to rural women in business through the Faranani Rural Women Training Initiative project.

Machaba says women play a pivotal role in the development of the South African economy and make a significant contribution to growing it. “Therefore, the promotion of rural women and their access to finance are critical.”

She adds that, through Faranani, rural women are trained and skilled on different topics and issues that will enable them to become entrepreneurs.

“The project is part of PwC’s corporate social responsibility that focuses on education, the development of business skills and the growing potential of all South African citizens. It is critical that we enable women in the economy,” says Machaba.

She adds that, with skills being core to South Africa’s economic growth, government has identified skills development as one of its targets and is addressing the issue through a number of initiatives, such as National Development Plan (NDP). The NDP identifies the financial inclusion of women as a critical tool, which is expected to eliminate poverty, reduce inequality and contribute towards the achievement of set targets by 2030. PwC also aims to assist in solving these problems. “We are intent on making a difference by empowering women,” adds Machaba.

She notes that PwC believes it is imperative to support entrepreneurial small, medium-sized and microenterprise businesses that, with the right business advisers, can mature and grow. The Faranani initiative supports women who want to become business owners by providing them with the knowledge to start and actively manage their own businesses.

Over several days, the women are taught how to develop a business plan, which is supported by financial projections, financial management, pricing and costing, practical marketing and business management.